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Auto mechanic classes by state

1,108 auto mechanic programs in 49 states and 2 territories, with costs, results and funding that can make them free

Which schools offer WIOA-approved auto mechanic classes?

582 schools offer these programs, and each state on this page approved its programs for workforce funding. Pick a state on the map or compare them belowCompare the states below, then open one to see each program with its price and how past students did.

What does an auto mechanic do, and how do you become one?

Automotive service technicians and mechanics inspect, maintain and repair cars and light trucks. Most complete a program in automotive service technology that leads to a certificate or an associate's degree, and employers may require or prefer certification.1 Federal rules require anyone paid to repair or service a car's air conditioning to be trained and certified by an EPA-approved program, which ends with a test.2

PR8VI1
Approved programsup to 56 to 1112 to 33more than 33

How much do auto mechanic classes cost?

Most auto mechanic programs approved for WIOA funding cost $2,784 to $9,735 if you pay yourself. Certificates and short courses mostly cost $2,047 to $7,342 and two-year degrees $7,975 to $16,360. Prices also differ by state: most cost $1,650 to $2,000 in Nevada and $9,342 to $16,239 in Iowa.

That is the price of the whole program as the school reports it. If you qualify, WIOA funding can pay part or all of it, depending on local limits (who qualifies). The figures cover only programs approved for WIOA funding; other schools and programs may cost more or less.

Compare auto mechanic classes by state: cost, pay and results

Auto mechanic classes by state
StateProgramsMost costEarned a year, estimatedWorking 6 months laterFinished
Alabama6$10,594 to $12,852Not enough dataLeft out83%
Alaska5$4,800 to $18,000Not enough dataNot enough dataNot enough data
Arizona19$3,178 to $8,457about $31,10060%52%
Arkansas19$6,099 to $11,216about $26,70062%44%
California75$1,200 to $4,247about $47,60057%71%
Colorado47$2,804 to $10,664about $32,70050%36%
Connecticut2Too few figures to show
Delaware4Too few figures to show
Florida43$3,045 to $6,264about $31,80068%59%
Georgia53$2,331 to $7,104about $27,50069%24%
Hawaii1Too few figures to show
Idaho4Not enough dataNot enough dataLeft outNot enough data
Illinois103Left outNot enough dataNot enough dataNot reported
Indiana36$4,912 to $7,342about $33,00080%53%
Iowa19$9,342 to $16,239about $30,30084%49%
Kansas8$8,020 to $12,571Not enough dataNot enough data77%
Kentucky6$11,880 to $13,120Not enough dataNot enough dataNot enough data
Louisiana10$6,744 to $12,064about $30,700Left outLeft out
Maine6Too few figures to show
Maryland9$2,800 to $4,435about $29,00067%61%
Massachusetts5Too few figures to show
Michigan30$6,115 to $16,019about $35,60075%48%
Minnesota43$4,631 to $11,758about $32,80078%56%
Mississippi19$4,606 to $8,149about $27,40078%Left out
Missouri40$4,509 to $10,691Not enough dataNot enough dataNot enough data
Montana1Too few figures to show
Nebraska19$1,868 to $7,835about $33,50080%48%
Nevada9$1,650 to $2,000Not reportedNot reportedNot enough data
New Hampshire5$4,515 to $6,036Not enough dataLeft outNot reported
New Mexico21$1,301 to $7,200about $39,00063%Left out
New York4Too few figures to show
North Carolina33$1,580 to $5,709about $32,40068%37%
North Dakota8$9,048 to $17,034Not enough dataNot enough dataNot enough data
Ohio58$2,685 to $9,650Not enough dataNot enough dataNot enough data
Oklahoma17$2,140 to $3,291about $31,800Left out81%
Oregon10$3,109 to $11,934Not enough dataNot enough dataNot enough data
Pennsylvania28$6,500 to $17,154Not enough dataLeft out78%
Puerto Rico8$10,055 to $14,362about $13,300Left outLeft out
Rhode Island1Too few figures to show
South Carolina1Too few figures to show
South Dakota3Not enough dataNot enough dataLeft outNot enough data
Tennessee26$5,492 to $6,523about $27,20077%76%
Texas75$3,755 to $8,710about $28,50073%60%
US Virgin Islands1Too few figures to show
Utah11$2,361 to $7,552about $23,800Left out31%
Vermont2Too few figures to show
Virginia21$730 to $5,710Not enough dataNot enough data100%
Washington86$1,545 to $10,536about $36,40076%78%
West Virginia1Not enough dataNot enough dataLeft outNot enough data
Wisconsin43$4,872 to $9,793about $33,00080%54%
Wyoming4Not enough dataNot enough dataLeft outNot enough data

Each figure is the middle program in that state. Yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. Only programs approved for workforce funding are counted; other schools may offer auto mechanic classes too. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).How these figures are made

Mechanic school: what the 1,108 programs are

By kind, the 1,108 programs approved for WIOA funding are automotive technician (564 programs), automotive technician (associate degree, 238 programs), single-system course (178 programs), maintenance and light repair (63 programs), and 65 more of 3 other kinds.

Across the US, 383 of the 1,108 programs take students without a high school diploma, 567 ask for a diploma or equivalent, 151 ask for earlier courses first and 7 ask for an associate degree.

Are there free auto mechanic classes in the US?

Does WIOA pay for job training? Who qualifies and how to apply

Other training by state

Approved programs per field across every state. Each opens that field's comparison by state.

Where the automotive program numbers by state come from

Which automotive programs are counted?

Programs each state approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), from the US Department of Labor's file for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025), covering programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).7 Schools that never applied for approval are missing.

What the figures for each state mean

Each figure is the middle program among those that report it: half did better, half did worse. Prices are what most programs cost if you pay yourself (the middle half). Earnings are for the second quarter after students left, times four. Where a figure is missing, the table says why: "Not reported", "Left out" or "Not enough data" (what each means).

Sources for the facts about auto mechanic classes

Show the 7 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
  2. US Environmental Protection Agency: Section 609 Technician Training and Certification Programs
  3. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  4. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  5. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  6. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  7. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List